Cover for pressurized fluid container



NOV. 22, 1960 J CQCHRAN 2,961,128

COVER FOR PRESSURIZED FLUID CONTAINER Filed Oct. 25, 1957 INVENTOR. Kenya/0 J (soy/v4 Patented Nov. 22, 296i CGVER FOP; PRESSURIZED FLUID CONTAINER Raymond J. Cochran, Old Oak Road, F airfield, Conn. Fiied Oct. 25, 1957, Ser. No. 692,470

4 Claims. (Cl. 222-182) This invention relates to a protective cover or cap for use with containers of the kind having a valve in the top thereof that is operable by manual actuation of a reciprocable plunger projecting above the top for dispensing the pressurized fluid contents of the container.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved cover or cap for containers of the described character that is easily removed and replaced and, when in place on a container, is capable of protecting the valve during packaging, storage and shipment to prevent inadvertent actuation of the valve or damage to the latter.

Another object is to provide a cover or cap for containers of the described character that, with the latter, provides an assembly of pleasing and attractive appearance.

A further object is to provide a cover or cap for containers of the described character that reliably attaches to the latter, and yet is easily removed and replaced, even taking into account the dimensional variations occurring in the containers during the mass production of the latter.

A still further object is to provide a standardized cover or cap for containers of the described character that is useful in connection with existing containers having different forms or configurations.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cover or cap for containers of the described character that is constructed and arranged to ensure the continued proper operation of the cover or cap even after repeated removal and replacement thereof.

Containers of the described character usually have the dispensing valve carried by an insert at the center of the top or lid of the container which is joined to the lid by an outwardly rolled circular bead, and, by reason of the procedures followed in forming that rolled head, the radially inner side of the bead is smooth and of uniform diameter, whereas the radially outer side of the bead may be rough or of non-uniform diameter.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a cover or cap for containers of the described character includes a top wall having a circular periphery, an outer side wall depending from the periphery of the top wall and adapted to abut, at its lower edge, against the peripheral portion of the container lid, and a generally cylindrical portion depending from the top Wall and spaced radially inward from the outer side wall so that the lower end of the cylindrical portion extends axially within the circular bead joining the valve carrying insert to the lid, the lower end of the cylindrical portion having a plurality of projections on the outer surface thereof for gripping engagement with the smooth radially inner side of the bead, thereby to releasably hold the cover or cap on the container for protecting the otherwise exposed dispensing valve and for preventing inadvertent actuation of the latter.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pressurized fluid container of the type adapted to receive a protective cover or cap embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to that of Fig. 1, but showing a protective cover or cap embodying the present invention applied to the pressurized fluid container;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of a protective cover or cap embodying the present invention and shown applied to the top portion of a pressurized fluid container;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partly broken away and in section, of the protective cover or cap of Figs. 2 and 3, showing such protective cover or cap as the latter appears from below; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and initially to Fig. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a pressurized fluid container 11 of the type adapted to receive a protective cover or cap embodying the present invention includes a gen erally cylindrical side wall 12 which, at its upper edge, is suitably joined to the outer periphery of a lid 13, for example, by the usual rolled bead or rim 14. The lid 13 is annular and, at its inner edge, is joined to the periphery of a depressed insert 15. In the conventional containers of the described character, the depressed insert 15 is joined to the inner edge of the lid 13 by an outwardly rolled annular bead 16, as can be clearly seen in Fig. 3.

In producing the rolled head or searn 16 it is the usual practice to provide the lid 13 and the insert 15 with confronting edge portions extending generally upward and to employ a spinning technique for rolling such confronting edge portions into the desired bead formation. The foregoing spinning technique involves applying a suitably profiled roller against the confronting edge portions of the lid and insert in the generally radially outward direction while effecting rapid relative rotation of the container and the bead forming roller. Thus, the bead forming roller, which acts radially outward against the material forming the bead, ensures that the inner side surface of the formed head 16 will be smooth and of uniform diameter, whereas the outer side surface of the bead, which faces generally away from the working force, may have a relatively rough or uneven contour and be of non-uniform diameter.

The insert 15 carries a conventional dispensing valve structure that includes a vertically reciprocable plunger 18 which, when manually depressed downwardly against the action of a spring (not shown) forming a part of the valve, permits escape of the pressurized fluid from the container 11 through an outlet port (not shown) in the upper portion of the plunger 18. Since the pressurized fluid contents of the container 11 escape or are dispensed merely in response to downward movement of the valve plunger 18, it is obviously important to avoid inadvertent downward movement of such plunger during packaging, storage or shipping of the container.

In accordance with the present invention, an improved protective cover or cap, generally identified by the reference numeral 10, is provided for preventing inadvertent actuation of the dispensing valve or damage to the latter. The protective cover 10 is preferably formed entirely from a resilient, somewhat pliable material, for example, any of the well known synthetic resins such as cellulose acetate, and it includes a top wall 19 having a circular periphery and an outer side wall 20 of generally cylindrical configuration depending from the periphery of top wall 19 and adapted to abut, at its lower radially outward extending edge, against the peripheral portion of the lid 13, for example, against the rim 14 joining the lid 13 to the side wall 12 of the associated container, as shown in Fig. 3,

The protectivecover embodying this invention further includes a generally cylindrical portion 21 depending from the top wall '19 and disposed 'coaxially with respect to the generally cylindrical outer sidewall 20. The cylindrical portion 210i the cover 10 has a substantially smaller diameter than the outer side wall 20, and the portion 21 is dimensioned so that, when the lower end edge of the wall 20 seats upon the peripheral portion of the lid 13, the lower end of the portion 21 will extend axially within the annular head 16, as shown in Fig. 3.

In order to secure the protective cover 10 upon the container '11 in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the depending cylindrical portion 21 of the cover has projections 22 which are preferably rounded, as viewed from the side in Fig. 3, and which are adapted to engage against the inner side of the bead 16 below the minimum inner diameter of the annular bead so that, when the cover 10 is pushed downwardly onto the top of the container 11, the projections 22 are forced radially inward during their downward sliding movement against the inner side surface of the bead 16 and then spring back radially outward in their positions of rest, .as shown in Fig. 3, thereby to yieldably resist removal of the cover from the container. Although the yieldable resistance of the projections 22 to removal of the cover is adequate to reliably prevent inadvertent removal of the cover, a reasonable upward pull exerted on the cover is adequate to overcome the yieldable resistance of the projections and to cause the latter to again spring radially inward during their movement upwardly past the head 16.

As seen in Figs. 4 and 5, the projections 22 are preferably circumferentially spaced apart around the cylindrical portion .21 of the cover 10 and encompass only relatively small sections of the circumference so that, when the projections move either upwardly or downwardly against the inner side surface of the bead 16, the pliable characteristic of the material from which the cover 16 is formed permits the circumferential sections of the portion 21 between the. projections 22 to deform for accommodating the necessary inward and outward springing of the projections. Although the pliable characteristic of the material forming the cover 19 is normallyadequate .to permit .the radially inward and outward springing of the projections 2, as described above, the cylindrical portion 21 of the cover is preferably provided with diametrically opposed, longitudinal slots 23 (Figs. 3, 4 and opening axially at the lower end of the portion 21, while the'projections 22 are preferably located adjacent the edges of the slots 23, thereby to further facilitate the radially inward and outward springing of such projections as the latter travel across the head 16.

With the construction of the cover described above, it will be noted that the engagement of the projections 22 with the inner side surface of the head 16 is relied upon forremovably securing the cover 10 upon the top of the .container- 11. Since, as previously described, the manufacture ofthe container llensures that the inner side surface of the bead 16 will be smooth and of uniform diameter, the containers and the respective covers can be separately mass produced while avoiding the possibility that the normal dimensional tolerances employed in such mass production will result in the detective engagement of the projections 22 with the bead 16 so that the cover will either be insecurely held on the container or so tightly secured on the container as to prevent the convenient removal thereof. Further, by reason of the smooth contours at the inner side of the head 16 engaged by the projections 22, the cover 10 can be repeatedly removed and replaced without the danger that the projections 22 will be subject to excessive wear so as to make such projections eventually inefiective for securing the cover on the container.

It will be apparent from Fig. 3 that the cylindrical portion 21 and outer side wall 20 of the cover 10 are axially dimensioned so that, when the cover is secured on the container, the top wall 19 of the cover is spaced vertically from the plunger 18' of the dispensing valve. Thus, there is no danger that the dispensing valve will be actuated by the cover 10 during placement of the latter on the container. Further, it is apparent that, with the cover in place on the container, as in Fig. 2, inadvertent actuation of the valve or damage to the latter is positively prevented, while the outer side wall 29 of the cover appears to form an upward extension of the side wall 12 of the container to provide an assembly of pleasing appearance.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has beendescribed in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that particular embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a pressurized fluid container having a top lid with a central recessed insert joined to said lid by a circular outwardly rolled bead and carrying a valve for normally closing the container; and a valve-protecting cover comprising a top wall, an outer side wall depending from the periphery of said top wall and seating on the periphery of said top lid, and a generally cylindrical portion depending from said top wall and extending axially, at its lower end, within said recessed insert, said cylindrical portion having longitudinal slots opening at said lower end and radially outward directed substantially rounded projections at said lower end adjacent said slots yieldably engaging theinner side of said outwardly rolled bead below the minimum inner diameter thereof to permit the radially inward and outward springing of said projections and .to releasably hold said cover on said container.

2. In combination, a pressurized fluid container having a top lid with a central recessed insert joined to said lid by a circular outwardly rolled bead and carrying a valve for normally closing the container; and a valveprotecting cover comprising a top wall, an outer side wall depending from the periphery of said top wall and seating on theperiphery of said top lid, and ,a generally cylindrical portion depending from said ,top wall and extending axially, at its lower end, within said recessed insert said cylindrical portion having diametrically opposed longitudinal slots opening at said lower end and radially outward directed substantially rounded projections on said lower end adjacent each of said slots yieldably engaging the inner side of said outwardly rolled bead below the minimum inner diameter thereof to permit the radially inward and outward springing of said projections and to releasably hold said cover on said container.

3. A cover for protecting the dispensing valve of a pressurized fluid container having a top lid with a recessed central insert carryingthe valve and joined to the lid by a circular, outwardly rolled head; said cover being formed of a pliable material andcomprising a top wall, an outer side wall depending from the periphery of said top wall and adapted to seat on the periphery of the container lid, and a generally cylindrical portion depending from said top wall and diametrically dimensioned for extending axially, at its lower end, within the circular, outwardly rolled bead of the container, said cylindrical portion having diametrically opposed longitudinal slots opening at said lower end and radially outward directed substantially rounded projections on said lower end located adjacent said slots and extending over only minor parts of the circumference of said cylindrical portion for yieldably engaging the inner side of the outwardly rolled bead below the minimum inner diameter thereof to permit the radially inward and outward springing of said projections and to releasably hold said cover on the container.

4. A cover for protecting the dispensing valve of a pressurized fluid container having a top lid with a recessed central insert carrying the valve and joined to the lid by a circular, outwardly rolled head; said cover being formed of a pliable material and comprising a top Wall, an outer side wall depending from the periphery of said top wall and adapted to seat on the periphery of the container lid, and a generally cylindrical portion depending from said top wall and diametrically dimensioned for extending axially, at its lower end, within the circular,

outwardly rolled head of the container, said cylindrical portion having at least one longitudinal slot opening at its lower end and radially outward substantially rounded projections on said lower end adjacent said slot for yieldably engaging the inner side of the outwardly rolled bead below the minimum inner diameter thereof to permit the radially inward and outward springing of said projections and to releasably hold said cover on the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,612,295 Michel Sept. 30, 1952 2,750,081 Campbell June 12, 1956 2,775,372 Jordan Dec. 25, 1956 2,811,289 Davis et al. Oct. 29, 1957 

